Among the products being developed by Ulis are IR sensors for tanker aircraft to allow night inflight refueling. (Capt. Zach Anderson/USAF)

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PARIS — Ulis on Tuesday launched Pico1024E Gen II, a second-generation infrared sensor aimed at the military market, with the French company drawing on its background in commercial applications.

Current IR devices in the Pico E range have been selected for development and certification on two European arms programs, comprising an anti-ship and an anti-tank missile, said Ulis Managing Director Jean-François Delepau.

One of the missiles is due to go into production in 2017, he said. No further details were available.

The new Pico1024E Gen II sensor is intended to deliver a longer range of three to five kilometers, high definition and faster detection, he said. The sensors also offer a wide field of view and need less energy. A missile seeker is among the potential applications.

Ulis is working on IR sensors for tanker aircraft to allow night inflight refueling. Helicopters equipped with XGA high-definition thermal image sensors allow pilots to see a wider 220 degrees compared with to 180 degrees on the VGA sensors, the company said.

Ulis previously focused on building IR components for consumer electronics and car makers, and has moved into the defense market as the products are seen to be reaching military grade.

“Ulis’ mega pixel Pico1024E Gen II meets the challenges in thermal image sensors for military applications that need to offer new capabilities and perform at very high standards, while operating with minimum energy,” Delepau said in a statement.